Portable strip cutter

ABSTRACT

A portable strip cutter is formed by support structure including an upright guide for guiding the edge of a material through the cutter, a plurality of blade holding members which also define a common bearing surface for the material to be drawn through cutter blades mounted in selected ones of the blade holding members, and a guide bar is rotatably mounted above the bearing surface to define a restricted passage through which the material is fed to the cutter. An extension is mounted on the guide with a sleeve-mounted, pointed projection slidably movable on the extension to hold a piece of material for cutting into a spiral or circular strip.

United States Patent [191 Rush [in 3,709,081 1 Jan. 9, 1973 [54] PORTABLE STRIP CUTTER [76] Inventor: Jerome Rush, 4965 South Broadway, Englewood, Colo. 80110 [22] Filed: Nov. 9, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 87,800

[52] US. Cl. ..83/4ll, 83/444, 83/648 [51] Int. Cl. ..B26d 7/16 [58] Field of Search ..83/41 1 648, 444, 448

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,547,249 4/1951 Bell ..83/444 Primary Examiner-Donald G. Kelly Att0meyReilly and Lewis [57] ABSTRACT A portable strip cutter is formed by support structure including an upright guide for guiding the edge of a material through the cutter, a plurality of blade holding members which also define a common bearing surface for the material to be drawn through cutter blades mounted in selected ones of the blade holding members, and a guide bar is rotatably mounted above the bearing surface to define a restricted passage through which the material is fed to the cutter. An extension is mounted on the guide with a sleevemounted, pointed projection slidably movable on the extension to hold a piece of material for cutting into a spiral or circular strip.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Pmmmm 91m 3709.081

I INVENTOR JEROME RUSH ATTORNEYS PORTABLE STRIP CUTTER The present invention relates to cutters and more particularly to a novel and improved portable cutting device for cutting materials, such as, leather, fabrics, cloth and the like, into strips.

Heretofore, strip cutters have been constructed for cutting materials, such as leather, into strips of predetermined widths. Generally, however, these prior art devices have had one or more disadvantages. For instance, while often such cutters could be arranged to cut material into strips of several preselected widths, they could not be conveniently arranged to cut material into strips of widths other than the preselected widths. Another disadvantage was that such cutters were incapable of handling relatively thick materials. Further, the cutters were not capable of cutting materials of different thicknesses and widths, and also did not permit cutting of the material both into straight and circular widths as desired.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved strip cutting device which obviates all the aforementioned disadvantages of prior art devices.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide an improved strip cutting device which may be readily arranged to cut material into strips of desired widths, may be utilized for cutting material into spirallike strips, is characterized by a relatively simple yet safe design, and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Additional objects of the present invention reside in the specific construction of the exemplary strip cutting device hereinafter particularly described in the specification and shown in the several drawings.

In accomplishing these and other objects, there has been provided in accordance with the present invention a strip cutting device for cutting materials, such as, leather, fabrics, cloth and the like, into strips. The cutter has means for securing it on a table or bench edge and for supporting a plurality of interfitting laminations. The laminations are designed to hold upwardly projecting cutter blades in predetermined spaced relationship along a bearing surface defined by the laminations. The position of the cutting blades in the laminations is reversible so that both ends of the cutter blades may be utilized. Means are provided for guiding the material to be cut along the bearing surface to the cutting blades, the guide means including an upright mounted substantially parallel with and on one side of the cutting blades and a rotatable guide bar having a wedge-shaped or triangular cross-section mounted ahead of the cutting blades over the bearing surface to define a slit or passage of adjustable width through which material may be fed to the cutting device. Additionally, an upwardly extending, pointed projection is mounted on the cutter so as to be movable relative to the cutting blades. By placing a piece of material on the projection and rotatingthe material over a cutting blade while guiding it against an upright guide member, spiral or circular strips may becut from the material.

Thus, an improved strip cutting device is provided which is capable of cutting materials of different thicknesses into different widths and configurations with-laminated blade holding members which will permit selection of the desired blade spacing and will reversibly but positively hold the cutter blades in position for cutting.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description of the invention when takentogether with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a strip cutter device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the cutting device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the cutting device of FIG. 1 illustrating the crank mounted thereon.

FIG. 4 illustrates one of the laminations making up the cutting device of FIG. 1 with a cutting blade supported therein; and

FIG. 5 is a view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, there is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 a cutting device or strip cutter generally identified by the numeral 10. The cutter 10 includes a casting which defines a main support structure made up of a lower vice portion 11 and an upper, upright guide member 12. The vice 11 is of conventional construction having an upper clamping member 13 for clamping on a table or other appropriate structure and a clamping screw 14 positioned below the member 13. In this way, the cutter 10 may be removably clamped on a table or bench edge in a conventional manner by tightening the thumb screw portion 15 at the end ofthe screw 14.

A plurality of correspondingly shaped laminations or blade mounting plates 16 are secured by bolts 17 threaded into bore holes 18 against the flat side of the upright member 12. In the'exemplary cutter 10, the clamping member 13 preferably extends substantially in the same direction as the assembled laminations 16 mounted on the upright 12, i.e., transversely of each individual lamination. As shown in FIG. 5, each individuallamination 16 has an inner slot portion or means 19 appropriately shaped for receiving preferably a flat generally trapezoidal-shaped cutting blade 20. The longer-edge of the trapezoidis the cutting edge of the blade 20 which extends upwardly at an acute angle to the vertical. Other suitable types of cutting blades may be used and the slots 19 in such case would be appropriately dimensioned to receive the type of cutting blades used. Moreover, the slots 19 may be formed to support the blade so that the blade cutting edges are vertically disposed. Holes 21 are formed in diagonally opposite corners of the laminations 16 through which the bolts 17 are passed. As better shown in FIG. 5,

raised portions or shoulders 22 and matched recesses 23 are formedon the corners of the laminations 16 in which the holes 21 are formed in order to align each lamination 16 to interfit or be complementary with adjacent laminations 16.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the laminations 16, when aligned and appropriately mounted on the upright member 12, define an upper substantially smooth horizontal but slightly rounded bearing surface 30 which extends substantially perpendicular to the flat side of upright member .12. The blades 20, supported by selected ones of the laminations 16, extend upwardly from the support surface 30 in planes substantially perpendicular to the bearing surface 30 and have their cutting edges facing in a forward sense. Mounted on the guide member 12 to extend longitudinally above the front portion of the surface 30 and spaced ahead of the projecting cutting edges of the blades is a longitudinal guide bar or member 31. The guide bar 31 is of wedge-shaped or triangular cross-section and is keyed for rotation with a shaft 32. The shaft 32 is rotatably mounted on the upright member 12 to extend in a direction which is preferably substantially perpendicular to the flat surface of the member 12. The shaft 32 extends through an opening in the upper extremity of the upright member 12 and a crank handle 33 is fixed to the end of the shaft 32. The crank handle 33 operates both to support the shaft on the guide member 12 and to turn it whereby to rotate the lower edge of the guide bar 31 relative to the bearing surface into contact with the material to be cut. The lower edge of the guide bar 31 is preferably parallel with the shaft 32 and acts as a hold-down bar to guide the material as it is fed into the cutter 10.

The handle 33 has an inwardly projecting, springloaded projection 34 for selective insertion into one of a plurality of holes 35 in a ridge 36 formed on the side of the upright 12 remote from the laminations l6. Accordingly, the position of the guide bar 31 over the bearing surface 30 may be set by rotating the projection 34 on the crank handle 33 into engagement with a selected one of the holes 35. In order to strengthen the support structure defining the vice 11 and upright 12, ridges 37 may be also formed on the upright 12 between the structure at the point that the shaft 12 extends through the upright 12 and the structure forming the bore holes 18. Additionally, a reinforcing ridge 38 may be formed to extend from the upright portion 12 to the bottom of the vice portion 11 and ridges 39 are formed to join the structure forming the bore holes 18 with the ridge 38.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a special end plate designated 40 is mounted by the bolts 17 on the cutter 10. The end plate or lamination 40 has a cross-section similar to the laminations 16 and is placed against the outside face of the lamination 16 most remote from the upright 12. The lamination 40 has a support portion 41 formed thereon which has a flat upper surface extending away from the upright 12 in a plane substantially parallel with the bearing surface 30. A flat longitudinal member 42 is screwed on the support structure 41 to extend away from the upright 12 in line with the surface 30. The flat member 42 has a uniform width and has a sleeve 43 fitted thereon for movement along the flat member 42. The sleeve 43 has on its upper surface a pointed projection 44 mounted to project upwardly therefrom. preferably substantially in the same direction as the blades 20. The projection 44 is for receiving a piece of material, usually leather, which is to be cut into a spiral strip to form a lace, such as, a shoestring.

In using the strip cutter 10, the determination is first made as to the width or widths of strips to be cut from a material, such as, a sheet of leather. For example, it may be desired only to cut one strip at a time in which case one blade 20 is used as in FIG. 1; or, it may be desired to simultaneously cut a plurality of strips in which case a plurality of blades 20 are used as is shown in FIG. 2. Once the number of strips to be cut is determined, an appropriate number of blades 20 are then arranged on each of the slots "19 of a lamination 16 to face the guide bar 31 when the laminations are mounted on the upright 12. In order to properly space the blades 20 so that the strip or strips cut are of a predetermined width, laminations 16 without blades therein are positioned between the laminations 16 loaded with blades 20 to give the proper blade spacing. It is noted that the laminations 16 may be made in different widths or increments so as to permit the setting of blade spacing as desired with respect to each other i and with respect to the flat guide surface of the upright 12. Further, laminations 16 used only as spacers need not be slotted. Once the blades 20 have, thus, been appropriately spaced by the laminations 16, these laminations 16 are then bolted on the upright member 12 along with the special lamination 40 carrying the sleeve-mounted pointed projection 44.

The assembled strip cutter 10 is mounted on the edge of a table or other support structure by tightening the vice clamp 11. Before cutting a material with the cutter 10, the crank handle 33 is first adjusted to space the lower edge of the guide bar 31 a predetermined distance away from the surface 30 appropriate for the thickness of the material to be cut into strips. It is noted that by appropriately dimensioning the guide bar 31 the cutter 10 may be designed to accommodate and guide extremely thick as well as extremely thin materials. This is due to the triangular cross-section of the bar 31 which permits a slightrotation of the shaft 32 to significantly affect the spacing between the lower edge of the bar 31 and the surface 30.

The material to be cut is fed by hand under the guide bar 31 and drawn along the surface 30 over the forwardly facing knife-edges of the blades 20. In this manner, the material is cut into strips with the guide bar 31 acting to hold the material in cutting contact with the blades 20. It is noted that when pulling the material over the blade or blades 20 one side of the material should be held against the flat surface of the upright 12 which acts as a guide surface for the edge of the material so that all strips cutare straight and have the desired width.

The upright 12, the bearing surface 30 with its rounded front and back edges and the guide bar 31 all cooperate to assist an operator so that material may be safely and easily cut into strips by use of the exemplary cutter 10. Also, the lam inations may be made of a suitable anti-frictional material so that material to be cut easily slides across the bearing surface 30. Additionally, after the projecting edges of the blades 20 have dulled the position of the blades 20 may be readily reversed simply by taking apart the laminations and turning the blades 20 over with the lower ends facing upwardly.

ln order to use the cutter 10 to cut a spiral-like strip, a patch of material, such as, a circular piece of leather, is centered on the projection 44, and blade 20 is mounted in spaced relation to the upright guide surface. The upright guide surface may be formed by the upright member 12 or by a special plate or lamination formed with a portion which projects upwardly from the surface 30. The outer peripheral edge of the leather is placed against the upright guide portion and, while being guided against the upright guide, is pulled over the blade 20. As a result, the blade 20 willcut a spiral strip equal in width to the distance between the blade 20 and the upright guide. As a spiral strip is cut, the projection 44 is free to slide along the extension member 42 towards the'cutting blade 20, as the leather being cut, as the radial dimension of the leather is reduced in cutting.

Thus, there has been provided an improved cutting device for cutting materials, such as, leather, fabrics,

cloth and the like, into strips. The improved cutter is capable of handling different thickness materials, has laminated blade holding members which may be arranged to cut strips of desired widths, and is operable to cut spiral-like or circular strips.

It is therefore to be understood from the foregoing description of a preferred form of the present invention that various modifications and changes may be resorted to in the specific design, construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A strip cutting device, comprising:

a plurality of cutter blade mounting members assembled to define a smooth bearing surface across which material to be cut is drawn, at least one of said cutter blade mounting members having an inner slot means defined therein, said slot means being operable to support a flat cutting blade with its cutting edge projecting beyond said bearing surface and the plane of its cutting edge substantially perpendicular thereto;

a flat guide member mounted so as to be parallel with the plane of a cutting blade supported by said slot means and spaced a preselected distance along said bearing surface from said slot means;

a guide bar mounted so as to be ahead of the cutting edge of a blade supported by said slot means, said guide bar being disposed in parallel spaced relation to said bearing surface whereby to define a guide passage of preselected width in guiding material drawn through said slit along said bearing surface to the cutting edge ofa blade supported by said slot means; and

means for mounting said assembled cutter blade mounting members, said guide member and said guide bar on a support structure.

2. The invention recited in claim 1 including a flat cutting blade mounted in said slot means, said cutting blade being mounted with its cutting edge facing said guide bar.

3. The invention recited in claim 2, wherein said slot means is shaped to support a flat trapezoidal shaped cutting blade.

4. The invention recited in claim I including means for selectively adjusting the spacing between said guide bar and said bearing surface whereby to selectively vary the width of the guide passage defined therebetween.

5. The invention recited in claim 4, wherein said guide bar has a substantially triangular cross-section and isrotatably mounted over said bearing surface, and said means for selectively adjusting the spacing between said guide bar and said bearing surface is a crank means operable to selectively rotate said guide bar.

6. The invention recited in claim 1, wherein said cutting blade mounting members are defined by a plurality of laminations each having inner slot means defined therein,'each of said slot means being operable to'support'a flat cutting blade with its cutting edge projecting beyond said bearing surface and the plane of its cutting edge perpendicular thereto, and flat cutting blades mounted in selected ones of said slot means with their cutting edges facing said guide bar.

7. The invention recited in claim 1 including:

an extension member mounted adjacent said bearing surface as an extension thereto, said extension member being mounted so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane ofa cutting blade supported by said slot means;

a sleeve slidably mounted over said extension member for movement therealong; and

a pointed projection mounted on said sleeve so as to project beyond the plane ofsaid bearing surface in substantially the same direction as a cutting blade supported by said slot means whereby said projection will center a piece of material to be cut into a spiral strip.

8. The invention recited in claim 1, wherein said cutter blade mounting members have formed in their adjacent surfaces shoulders and recesses so that said cutter blade mounting members are interfitted together by mating the shoulders with the recesses, and the edges of said cutter blade mounting members which define the front and rear edges of said bearing surface are rounded so as to facilitate advancement of material thereacross.

9. A strip cutting device, comprising:

framestructure including clamping means for clamping said cutter on a bench edge and an upright member having at least one flat side for guiding the edge of material to be cut through said cutter;

a plurality of interfitted laminations detachably assembled and bolted on said frame structure to define a smooth bearing surface adjacent and substantially perpendicular to the flat side of said upright member, said bearing surface having rounded front and back edges so as to facilitate the drawing of material to be cut across said bearing surface, at least one of said laminations having an inner slot means defined therein, said slot means being to be stationed to support a flat cutting blade with its cutting edge projecting beyond said bearing surface bar having the plane of its cutting edge substantially perpendicular spaced relation slit along a guide bar rotatably mounted on said frame structure so as to be stationed ahead of the cutting edge of a blade supported by said slot means, said guide bar having a substantially triangular cross-section and'being in parallel spaced relation to said bearing surface whereby to define a guide passage operable with said upright member to guide material drawn throughsaid slit along said bearing surface to the cutting edge of a blade supported by said slotmeans; and

crank means connected to said guide bar for selectively rotating said guide bar whereby to selectivelyadjust the spacing between said guide bar and said bearing surface so as to vary the width of the guide passage defined therebetween.

10. The invention recited in claim9wherein said slot member beingvmounted so as to extend in a means is shaped to support a flat trapezoidal shaped direction substantially perpendicular to the plane Cutting blade and including; of said cutting blade supported by said slot means;

a trapezoidany Shaped flat cutting blade mounted in a sleeve slidably mounted over said extension said slot means with its cutting edge facing said member for movement therealong; and

guide bar; and

means for setting said crank means in a fixed position whereby to set the width of the passage defined between said guide bar and said bearing surface.

1 l. The invention recited in claim 10, including: 10

an extension member bolted to said laminations as an extension to said bearing surface, said extension a pointed projection mounted on said sleeve to project beyond the plane of said bearing surface in substantially the same direction as said cutting blade, said projection centering a piece of material to be cut into a strip. 

1. A strip cutting device, comprising: a plurality of cutter blade mounting members assembled to define a smooth bearing surface across which material to be cut is drawn, at least one of said cutter blade mounting members having an inner slot means defined therein, said slot means being operable to support a flat cutting blade with its cutting edge projecting beyond said bearing surface and the plane of its cutting edge substantially perpendicular thereto; a flat guide member mounted so as to be parallel with The plane of a cutting blade supported by said slot means and spaced a preselected distance along said bearing surface from said slot means; a guide bar mounted so as to be ahead of the cutting edge of a blade supported by said slot means, said guide bar being disposed in parallel spaced relation to said bearing surface whereby to define a guide passage of preselected width in guiding material drawn through said slit along said bearing surface to the cutting edge of a blade supported by said slot means; and means for mounting said assembled cutter blade mounting members, said guide member and said guide bar on a support structure.
 2. The invention recited in claim 1 including a flat cutting blade mounted in said slot means, said cutting blade being mounted with its cutting edge facing said guide bar.
 3. The invention recited in claim 2, wherein said slot means is shaped to support a flat trapezoidal shaped cutting blade.
 4. The invention recited in claim 1 including means for selectively adjusting the spacing between said guide bar and said bearing surface whereby to selectively vary the width of the guide passage defined therebetween.
 5. The invention recited in claim 4, wherein said guide bar has a substantially triangular cross-section and is rotatably mounted over said bearing surface, and said means for selectively adjusting the spacing between said guide bar and said bearing surface is a crank means operable to selectively rotate said guide bar.
 6. The invention recited in claim 1, wherein said cutting blade mounting members are defined by a plurality of laminations each having inner slot means defined therein, each of said slot means being operable to support a flat cutting blade with its cutting edge projecting beyond said bearing surface and the plane of its cutting edge perpendicular thereto, and flat cutting blades mounted in selected ones of said slot means with their cutting edges facing said guide bar.
 7. The invention recited in claim 1 including: an extension member mounted adjacent said bearing surface as an extension thereto, said extension member being mounted so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of a cutting blade supported by said slot means; a sleeve slidably mounted over said extension member for movement therealong; and a pointed projection mounted on said sleeve so as to project beyond the plane of said bearing surface in substantially the same direction as a cutting blade supported by said slot means whereby said projection will center a piece of material to be cut into a spiral strip.
 8. The invention recited in claim 1, wherein said cutter blade mounting members have formed in their adjacent surfaces shoulders and recesses so that said cutter blade mounting members are interfitted together by mating the shoulders with the recesses, and the edges of said cutter blade mounting members which define the front and rear edges of said bearing surface are rounded so as to facilitate advancement of material thereacross.
 9. A strip cutting device, comprising: frame structure including clamping means for clamping said cutter on a bench edge and an upright member having at least one flat side for guiding the edge of material to be cut through said cutter; a plurality of interfitted laminations detachably assembled and bolted on said frame structure to define a smooth bearing surface adjacent and substantially perpendicular to the flat side of said upright member, said bearing surface having rounded front and back edges so as to facilitate the drawing of material to be cut across said bearing surface, at least one of said laminations having an inner slot means defined therein, said slot means being to be stationed to support a flat cutting blade with its cutting edge projecting beyond said bearing surface bar having the plane of its cutting edge substantially perpendicular spaced relation slit along a guide bar rotatably mounted on said frame structure so as to bE stationed ahead of the cutting edge of a blade supported by said slot means, said guide bar having a substantially triangular cross-section and being in parallel spaced relation to said bearing surface whereby to define a guide passage operable with said upright member to guide material drawn through said slit along said bearing surface to the cutting edge of a blade supported by said slot means; and crank means connected to said guide bar for selectively rotating said guide bar whereby to selectively adjust the spacing between said guide bar and said bearing surface so as to vary the width of the guide passage defined therebetween.
 10. The invention recited in claim 9 wherein said slot means is shaped to support a flat trapezoidal shaped cutting blade and including: a trapezoidally shaped flat cutting blade mounted in said slot means with its cutting edge facing said guide bar; and means for setting said crank means in a fixed position whereby to set the width of the passage defined between said guide bar and said bearing surface.
 11. The invention recited in claim 10, including: an extension member bolted to said laminations as an extension to said bearing surface, said extension member being mounted so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of said cutting blade supported by said slot means; a sleeve slidably mounted over said extension member for movement therealong; and a pointed projection mounted on said sleeve to project beyond the plane of said bearing surface in substantially the same direction as said cutting blade, said projection centering a piece of material to be cut into a strip. 